Apple TV+ Adds Marvel Star Power To Its Original Lineup

After “The Devil All the Time” dominated Netflix in recent weeks, “Spider-Man” star Tom Holland’s next serious dramatic role has landed at a different streaming home.

Deadline broke the news on Friday that Apple had acquired “Cherry,” which features Holland as an ex-soldier who turns to robbing banks after becoming addicted to opiates as a result of PTSD, for their TV+ service. The film also reunites the on-screen Peter Parker with “Avengers: Endgame” helmers, the Russo Brothers, who directed the film right after wrapping the superhero mega-blockbuster.

Deadline reports that Apple paid somewhere between $40-50 million for the streaming rights to the film. Given that it is believed to be a finished product, “Cherry” could very well premiere in the coming months on Apple TV+ in order to generate Oscar buzz, though no release date has been made official.

The film is based on an autobiographical novel written by Cleveland-native Nico Walker. The Russo Brothers, also Cleveland natives, acquired the film rights to the book while Walker was still serving a stint in prison, which he has since completed.

While Apple’s slate of original films for TV+ has been slow to gain steam, it is clear that they are banking on bigtime star power to generate more interest in their streaming service. Recently, the company has snapped up films like “Emancipation” with Will Smith and director Antoine Fuqua, “Killers of the Flower Moon” with Leonardo DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese, and a musical adaption of “A Christmas Carol” with Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell.